Histology

Question 1

What forms the capsule which covers the outer kidney?

Answer 1

thin but strong capsule of dense collagen fibres

Question 2

How many medullary pyramids can be seen in one kidney?

Answer 2

8-18 per kidney

Question 3

What is found at the apices of the medullary pyramids?

Answer 3

renal papillae

Question 4

How does the blood supply get to the renal cortex?

Answer 4

Vessels travel up renal columns and supply cortex

Medulla of kidney is supplied VIA the cortex

Question 5

What is the name given to the fat pads found at the renal hilum?

Answer 5

Renal Sinus

Question 6

What are the two main components of the nephron?

Answer 6

Renal corpuscle (contains the glomerulus)
Renal tubules

Question 7

How many nephrons do we have per kidney?

Answer 7

600,000 - 1 million

Question 8

What length is a nephron?

Answer 8

45-65mm

Question 9

What is the function of the renal corpuscle?

Answer 9

production and collection of glomerular filtrate

Question 10

What is the glomerulus?

Answer 10

Group of capillaries

Question 11

What is Bowmans capsule?

Answer 11

Epithelium into which the glomerulus extends (Balloon theory)

Question 12

What two layers seperate the blood from the glomerular filtrate?

Answer 12

1. capillary endothelium

2. specialised epithelium on top of glomerular capillaries (podocytes)

Question 13

What structure forms the filtration slits?

Answer 13

the podocytes have interdigitating cell processes (pedicels) forming filtration slits

Question 14

The basal lamina between the capillary endothelium and the specialised podocyte epithelium is 6x larger than an average basal lamina. TRUE/FALSE?

Answer 14

TRUE

Question 15

How much glomerular filtrate is produced per minute and how much of this is urine?

Answer 15

100-125ml/min

(but only about 1ml/min of urine).

Question 16

What two poles does the renal corpuscle have?

Answer 16

a vascular pole,

and opposite this, a urinary pole

Question 17

What is the name given to the core of the glomerulus?

Answer 17

mesangium (this also extends out of the glomerulus)

Question 18

What are the 3 components of the glomerular filter?

Answer 18

fenestrated endothelium of the capillary

thick basement membrane

The filtration slits between pedicels

Question 19

What is the function of the Proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 19

REABSORPTION

water, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates and glucose

Question 20

What process is used to reabsorb 70% of the sodium in the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 20

active transport

Question 21

What process is used to reabsorb water in the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 21

Diffusion

Question 22

How are glucose and amino acids reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 22

Co-transport

Question 23

Describe the epithelium found in the proximal convoluted tubules

Answer 23

Cuboidal

Extensive brush border of microvilli

Question 24

Why does the proximal convoluted tubule epithelium contain junctional complexes at the apical end?

Answer 24

To prevent expelled contents from diffusing back in

Question 25

Describe the histological difference between proximal convoluted tubules and distal convoluted tubules?

Answer 25

PROXIMAL = larger than the distal convoluted tubules PROXIMAL have a less well defined luminal margin due to the brush border

Question 26

The loop of Henle gets thinner as it passes the cortex/medullary junction. TRUE/FALSE?

Answer 26

TRUE

Question 27

What is the main function of the loop of Henle?

Answer 27

creates the hyperosmotic (SALTY) environment in the medulla

Question 28

What is the difference in epithelium between the thick and thin limb of the loop of Henle?

Answer 28

``` Thick = cuboidal epithelium Thin = Squamous epithelium ```

Question 29

What are the vasa recta?

Answer 29

Thin walled blood vessels which dip down from the cortex and then climb back up to permit a highly osmotic gradient in the medulla

Question 30

What is the main function of the Distal convoluted tubule?

Answer 30

acid-base and water balance | => fine-tuning the filtrate

Question 31

What hormone controls reabsoprtion of Na in the distal convoluted tubule?

Answer 31

Aldosterone

Question 32

What structures can be seen as stripes in the cortex that point toward the medulla?

Answer 32

Parallel bundles of collecting ducts

Question 33

What name is often given to the largest part of a collecting duct?

Answer 33

Duct of Bellini

Question 34

What hormone increases the permeability of the collecting duct to water?

Answer 34

Antidiuretic hormone

Question 35

A high ADH causes more concentrated urine. TRUE/FALSE?

Answer 35

TRUE think - diuretics get rid of peoples fluid => Antidiuretic hormone retains fluid (water) => urine produced is more concentrated

Question 36

What epithelium is found in the urinary tract?

Answer 36

transitional epithelium or urothelium

Question 37

What type of cells face the lumen of the urinary tract?

Answer 37

umbrella cells (due to domed appearance)

Question 38

What size is the male urethra compared to the female urethra?

Answer 38

``` Male = 20cm Female = 3-5 cm ```

Question 39

What types of epithelium are found in the female urethra?

Answer 39

Transitional epithelium until changing to squamous at termination

Question 40

What types of epithelium are found in the male urethra?

Answer 40

Prostatic urethra = transitional epithelium. Membranous urethra = Transitional changes to stratified columnar Penile urethra = stratified columnar THEN stratified squamous